


A Million Victories

by Moonscream (ServingSmoothies)



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Betrayal, Canon-Typical Violence, Cybertronian Civil War, Damned Plot Bunnies, Gladiators Fights, Kind of Slowburn, M/M, Not as dark as my other fics, Okay I declare this one officially a slowburn, Porn With Plot, Seeker's tighs are war weapons!, Sentinel is a spawn of a glitch, Slow Burn, Sticky Sexual Interfacing, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2020-06-03 06:35:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19458382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ServingSmoothies/pseuds/Moonscream
Summary: Megatron was about to win his freedom and achieve what others believed imposible...The only thing he had to do was fight for the last time and wina million victories.No one foreseen a single scrap of what it really happened.





	1. [KAON – IN THE PAST, part 1]

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Thick Thighs End Lives](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19386721) by [crimsonseekers](https://archiveofourown.org/users/crimsonseekers/pseuds/crimsonseekers). 



> Canon? What is that? ;9

[K A O N – IN THE PAST]

Megatron had always hated the idea of killing for the entertainment of others, seeing in them no more than puppets in hands of stupid masters, playing at their game until you failed and meet the end of your days at the pedes and dust of another mech. It was a matter of killing or being killed, no better than the mines he worked in before being bought and thrown into the arena, except for one little exception: here you could win your freedom... if you manage to survive that long, that is.

  
The only thing you had to do was fight, survive and win...

_A million victories._

So far, of course, no one had succeeded, and the Arena’s Lords knew it was such an absurd high number that was almost impossible to have anyone get near it. It was more likely a psychological little nudge to keep their mechs going, granting them the only thing that no one had ever give them in their pathetic lives: hope.

  
Plus, the Lords thought it more like a service: providing good entertainment while keeping Cybertron’s overpopulation at bay in the places no bot wanted to be or deal with.

This simple system made the arena Lords live in abundance in a world that struggled every day for a long time, and it had worked perfectly fine without anyone achieving the maximum goal, not even scratching it...!

Until they meet Megatron.

Dangerous and charismatic, he called everyone’s attention since match one. Since his arrival, he had won every single battle against any kind of opponents at the point that crowd named him “The Terror of Kaon”: a powerful, skilled and intelligent mech that fought merciless and beat easily whatever they throw at him at cold Energon for hundreds and thousands fights consecutive, unstoppable like a force of nature.

The public loved him.

The Lords? Not so much.

At first his arrival was a good thing, of course. The Lords had never been so rich in their lives or seen the arena so full whenever the Terror of Kaon was fighting. The bids that always seemed reasonable, skyrocketed with him, didn’t mattered who he was fighting against.

However, Megatron won’t last long before he won his own place between the slaves and gladiators when he stood one night and started showing his opponents respect and mercy when no other would, sparing their lives and deifying what the Arena was built for. Megatron did not take pleasure in killing a worthy opponent and there was nothing the Lords could do to punish him. Sadly for them, the Terror of Kaon worth more alive.

This defiant behavior, of course, was not to be desired in such a lower caste minion. It increased rebellious acts and disobedience. The more shared this way of thinking, the more they would realize other things could be changed too, and Lords did not wanted them to know. Ignorance was their best ally, their tool. If they wanted to keep things like they were, they had to do something to stop them, to break them make everymech against the other.

For that reason, when Megatron was about to reach his million victories, they enacted a new law: _the winner did whatever he thought fit of the loser._

Plain and simple, this law was expected to give the slaves and gladiators a little sense of power and divide them, trying to get rid of the most powerful mechs of that low world on their own volition, little revolutions that ensured no one but the Lords would keep the true power on their servos, and it worked wonderfully since many preferred to deactivate or made their opponents their own personal servants, using them in any way they wanted...

Except Megatron, the damned glitch. He always asked to spare the lives of the survivors, and nothing else.

However, it didn’t matter. Not everymech admired him. There were many ones who swore revenge for being humiliated at the arena, and it was just a matter of time to see one of them accomplishing their word. The Lords only had to sit back and wait.

He was not to achieve the mark.

No one ever achieved the mark.

_And no one foreseen a single scrap of what really happened next._

\----

Another night. Another arena at max.

Crowds cheered and clapped as the gladiators fought again for their lives in what seemed like a million times.

Except that, in fact, it _almost_ was for one of them.

The lights shone bright between the dust and Energon spilled across the floor, spotlight on a defiant Megatron, who stood in a pile of scrap metal and dismembered bodies.

  
Victorious once again, he raised his fist to the sky and roared from the very pit of his frame who will be the bastard he had to defeat to claim what was rightfully his.

The arena Lords had done everything to kill him that night to show everyone that no mech was undefeatable. They were terrified of thinking what he would do after being freed and survived a whole live of service and sacrifices, and he was a one victory to succeed. They couldn’t allow it.

Megatron pointed his cannon to their lords, since hearing nothing from them, and voiced his demand as winner, same as always: spare the lives of the ones who were defeated and still functioned after the match. He knew the Lords had to comply, he had won rightfully and it was their own law. Megatron was doing nothing but following the rules and how they hated him for it, the clever bastard.

Of course, at the end the Lords agreed and spared the lives that normally would have been deactivated, raising the voices of the crowd chanting alaud “Megatron!” again and again, as the arena was cleared and cleaned for that night’s last match.

The one everyone had their optic on, the very first fight for freedom!

Crowds were exploding in excitement.

Lords were in panic.

\---

“What should we do?! If he wins again, we are doomed! We won’t have only to freed him but also to concede him a special request!” One lord panicked, walking side to side inthe Lords’ private box.

“Unacceptable... He would want us killed, or worst!” said other, anger in crescendo. “We have to kill him!”

“We have tried everything! People would suspect if we poison him or damage him before the last match, and we have already done it in the past and the bastard lived anyway! He’s...He’s invincible!” A panicked Lord said, drinking high grade nervously.

“We are running out of options... Think of something! Quick!” Demanded the bigger Lord, punching the table with his servo.

“I think I have a solution for you, gentlemech.” Said a voice entering the Lord’s private box.

The nervous Lord flinched; the guards and Lords raised their weapons, aiming to kill, but the seekers standing in the entrance seemed amused by this instead of worried, raising their servos to show they were there not to cause trouble. Not there, at least.

“Who are you and how did you get here?!” One guard exclaimed, making his plasma gun fume to life.

“Shut your mouth, sexy turbofox, we are here to talk to your Master, not an overgrown puppy.” Answered the seeker at the left, while smiling amused to the truck-former guard.

“I want to fight him.” The seeker at the center spoke, a silver and red gorgeous flyer. He held a chip card in servo, what seemed a credit fortune on it.

“What?” The bigger Lord, still puzzled, talked back. “Who are...? Why?”

“I’ll pay you for letting me in. I don’t think you had never seen one of mine fight in that pit, had you?” The silver seeker half smiled, throwing the chip to the Lord.

It was real, a fortune indeed, and it was true that they had never seen a seeker on that arena since Vos was a restricted city so isolated that only flyers were allowed to get in. To see one in Megatron’s Million match would be unexpected... Perhaps the supposed surprise opponent everyone thought they had reserved for this single occasion this whole time.

The arena Lords shared some glances, obviously speaking by intercom. The seekers waited patiently, the silver one looking at his sharp talons, the other standing cautious and the last one smiling to the guard.

“I don’t think all of you only flew so far only to have yourself ripped apart... What makes you so convinced you can win?” Finally The bigger Lord spoke, dancing the credit chip on his servos. The offer was way too tempting to letting it go so easily.

“I’m only confident in my abilities, and I’m always interested in new challenges, that’s all.” The silver seeker answered again, standing proud and smug. He knew he had won.

“And, as you said, I wouldn’t have flown so far only to be deactivated, would I?”

“We won’t be accountable for anything that happens to you in that arena, are you and your...err...” he looked at the other two seekers behind the silver one. One waved a servo back and the other crossed his arms. “... Friends aware of this?”

“Yes. Coming here was my idea, they only came here out of curiosity.” He chuckled softly. He seemed so damned sure about this. “Believe me, you won’t be disappointed. Isn’t Megatron’s Million fights? Let’s give the people something worthy to be remembered.”

All the Lords them shared glances again, and smiled.

“We only have one condition.”

“Name it.”

“Kill him.”

The handsome silver seeker smiled softly and walked across the room gracefully. The guards followed him with their weapons, but the Lords made a signal to lower them. Then he stood against the wide crystal, back plates to the arena, moving his wings to capture the light on his frame and added the slightest reverence.

“Relax and enjoy the view... my Lords.” He answered.

Behind them one seeker snickered and the other rolled his optics.

The deal was sealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a a super mega self-indulgent fic, but I reaaally wanted to write something where Megs and Star fought in the gladiators arena! It won't be a long fic (hopefully?), but I really hope you enjoy it anyway!


	2. [KAON – IN THE PAST, part 2]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY! I know I said this chapter was going to have some smoothies but it became too long to make just one before I realized :'c!  
> Please forgive meee! I'll make worth the wait ;A;!!!!! -sobs in Spanish-

CHAPTER TWO - [K A O N – IN THE PAST, part 2]

“You are getting yourself killed!” Thundercracker, disguised as a black and blue seeker tried not to kill Starscream himself as the three of them waited behind the scenes.

They had been given a private room and TC had just closed the door to keep away unwanted visitors.

Outside, the arena’s crowds were roaring excitedly as they waited for the memorable match. The presenter had said they should wait till the fight began for start making their bets and that there was an special fighter they had never seen before waiting to defeat their beloved champion.

“Nah. I know him, I’ve watched and memorized all his fights. Plus, I’m the best fighter in Vos, no one had ever defeated me, Tc, cool you thrusters.” Starscream, disguised with silver and red frame paint, answered while looking through the window at the cleaning drones clearing the field, and tried not to shiver in excitement as he imagined himself out there, with the crowds shouting and clapping.

“That’s the problem! That arrogance will be your doom! Can you use your bright processor for a moment and think what would happen if you are killed?” Tc looked at him half panicked half worried. “We’ll have to fly all the way back and try somehow to explain that the next Winglord was killed in a pit fight against a barbarian just because he wanted to… What did he said Warp?”

“That he wanted to feel the excitement of a true fight?” Warp answered eating some energon sweet bars. He was disguised in white and black paint.

“In other words… on a whim!” TC rolled his optics for the hundred time.

"...and that he wanted to ‘face him” Warp added half smiling.

“What?!”

“SKYWARP!?” Starscream stuttered almost lose the balance when Warp said that aloud and immediately interrupted both of them. Who on Cybertron would like to be held between those huge arms and servos? In a chest so broad and powerful…? Definitely not him. _Yeah, Sure._ “ No No No, Thunder…! I didn’t… I meant...! I meant ‘face’ like in to FIGHT against him!”

“You sure? Because you always look like drooling whenever you watch his mat--- OUCH!” Starscream hit Warp with a convenient little metal scrap he found at his feet. “‘kay… ‘kay… He meant to face him like in a fight…"

Thundercracker’s face plates said everything seeing both of them behaving like sparklings.

There was no point in denying it! Starscream _did_ admire the gladiator and he actually joined fighting classes in Vos because of him, and he _did_ said many times he wanted to fight against him to see who was the best, but the look in his optics whenever he heard or saw anything related to the Gladiator, whenever Megatron punched or shoot somebot in the holoscreen, they could feel the deep fire igniting in his spark, through their bond. _It ached._

Well, it said clearly that this was way more than just than a simple fight.

Starscream tried to focus again.

“Just shut up you two! I’ll be okay! You could have at least some _faith_ in me, you know?” He exclaimed and sat in one solid metal cube crossing his arms.

“We have. We are trine." TC sat at his side in another cube and made a pause. “But that doesn't make me less anxious. I’m worried about you.”

“It’s true, Star… Megatron is quite a big built, he could damage you permanently...or worse.” Warp gave him an energon stick and looked at him concerned, a weird look for a bot like him.

“I’m aware of that, and also that he uses his weight against lighter frames to his advantage. If I was him, probably I would do the same, but that doesn't change the fact that he had never fight someone like us, I still can fly and jump far from him, and I don’t think he will be able to get rid of me easily once I start.”

Star words sound completely determined as he showed his perfectly polished and deadly sharp talons. It didn’t mattered what his trinmates tried to convince him of, giving up wasn’t an option.

“In our city no one really tried anyway, I could see that in their optics when they fought me. Here no one knows who am I, and Megatron has no reason for stopping now that he’s so close to his prize.” Starscream smiled widely. “It’s my perfect chance to prove what I’m made of before becoming Winglord, that I can protect you all!”

His brothers just exchanged looks and sighed.

“Do you really think that seekers’ fighting style will work, be strong enough?” Warp asked knowing that saying anything to try to change his mind would had proved useless.

Starscream grinned.

“You’ll see.”

\---

Megatron had worked hard to be here and there was no single soul that could stop him from being freed tonight.

When he stepped the arena, the roar of thousand spectators received him and he shivered. Soon he would be finally at peace, the nightmares and never ending fights would go, and he would never hear them again.

How, after so many eons, they still enjoyed this barbaric show?

Tired but resolved, he stood in the middle of the empty arena and waited his final trial. What could they throw to him that he hadn't fought before? Nothing could surprise him after so many years living in that pit of madness, they’ve tried everything to kill him, and he still survived.

At this point he was so sure about his chances that when he saw his opponents, he was left speechless. The magnificent broad wings; curvy and aerodynamic shapes, thin frames walking proudly into the arena… What the frag?!

Seekers. Blasted damned seekers! Flyers! Where did they find someone like them to be thrown in this forsaken pit? Wearing battle masks and visors, tho, they seemed ready for battle, they also looked perfectly polished, well maintained and feed. No scars, no injuries, not _anything_ that indicate they were some kind of prisoners or slaves of some kind and were forced to be there. Then why? What the actual frag was happening here? What kind of joke was this?!

His processor worked so hard, so fast, thinking of an answer that it hurt. He was in a clear disadvantage against them when it came to speed and flexibility. He had the strength, the weight, right, but how to use this assets if he couldn’t catch them first?

Scrap.

He had never fought one of them. He had not even known one in his life! It was so rare to seeing one in the ground! The closer frametype he had fought, Megatron remembered, was a huge copter whose rotors were so damaged that he couldn’t go anywhere. If the seekers decided to fly --and they _will_ \-- this was going to be a difficult fight.

He had to ground them before they used his wings.

“Dear gentlemech!” Said the presenter in a big screen, loud and clear for everyone. He was the Lord who received the credits. “Today is a marvelous night! The one many of you had been waiting for! The Million Fight Night for our beloved champion Megatron, the Terror of Kaon! And what better to surprise our fighters and public in this special occasion than something never seen before!” The presenter made a dramatic pause and then announced the flyer excitedly. “The descendant of the thunders and winds! Lord of the sky! A seeker sky warrior!”

People cheered even louder if that was possible. Megatron only stood firm, looking at his opponents steadily, optics fierce. It didn’t matter what, he was going to win.

Starscream couldn’t believe they were there, for real! And with that magnificent presentation, he made his turbines roar and flew into the arena, leaving his trine behind, giving a few loops in the air just to show off his abilities before landing graciously in his two thruster-heeled feet and hung both wings high, proud. He had to live up their expectations, hadn’t he?

The public was ecstatic.

Megatron observed carefully making the calculations: the distance and the speed… His processor devising an scheme to take him down. However, the other two seekers waited outside the arena, arms crossed while the Silver one stood in front of him. Weren't they going to fight? Well, it was somehow a relief, but definitely that hurt his pride. Hum, better that way, no that he was to complain. The state of his pride had been worse.

He took a deep vent and settled himself. Even if the flyer looked fragile and delicate, if this was what they had saved for him this whole time, he was to take him seriously and not underestimate him only by his certainly _optic-catching_ appearance. This was a gladiatorial arena, he was going to be treated just like all the other _999,999_ before him.

“Now the bids are officially opened and will be closed in only a few minutes! Everyone ready for this?” another dramatic pause and the presenter smiled. “The fight starts in three…! Two…! One…! GO!”

Starscream purred while smiling under his battle mask and in one second he had made his thrusters roar, kicking the side of the gladiator’s body so hard that Megatron felt his thick armor crack. Megatron received all the damage but didn’t fall. He helped himself with his sword and then jumped to one side and dodged the next kick Starscream had prepared, calculating all his movements. The gladiator tried to grab his legs or wings, but the sneaky bastard was as fast and flexible as he looked and he couldn’t catch him on time before he was again out of range, floating over the arena’s dusty ground.

This happened a few times, but Megatron soon understood the technique and was able to anticipate some of his kicks, jumps and maneuvers, well aware that the seeker tried to avoid using his upper body to fight or defend whenever the gladiator striked back and tried to use his weapon to damage him. Interesting.

Starscream felt like a youngling whenever he connected a kick or dodged Megatron’s mace or sharp sword powerful strikes. It was like dancing a dangerous lethal melody, and he loved it! What a way to feel alive!!! He started with high kicks and then lower ones to damage the gladiator’s strong legs. Then he flew around and tried to claw him, only to be surprised with the sword that was too close to damage one of his wings. He was more cautious the nest time he tried to inflict more damage and did an beautiful and deadly cartwheel in the air to kick Megatron’s hand and damage the transformation seams of his arm-blaster. Yes. It was completely intentional and he LOVED the incredulous look on the other’s eyes.

Megatron, on the other hand, was starting to feel frustrated and tired as the fight seemed to have no end. The flyer had made more damage than he thought he will, with a gorgeous pair of sturdy legs and strong plating unlike what it looked like at first.

His internals were damaged and some old welds reopened, but he just couldn’t think in giving up after coming so far. There had to be a way to ground him… And then he noticed that the seeker was standing in the ground and not sliding over it, still ready to strike back at any time. Why? In a moment, Megatron had a theory when he tried to fight him again and observed that the seeker dodged the mace but not flying too far away, in fact it was more like a jump. Then the gladiator throw against him his sword and charged against him once more, and only then the seeker ignited his thrusters again and circled him to kick his back with both thrusters, burning a bit his armor. The gladiator was on the ground and he tasted the dust on his intake, processor spinning. It was a little price to confirm what he had thought.

By the sound and the hot temperature of the seeker’s kick, it was obvious that he was running out of energon and a little overheated to keep fighting for long. Seekers were small, light… and that meant less energon reservoirs available to burn, that’s why they were so good for short trips and not long compared to the big and heavy shuttles. Normally seekers wouldn’t keep in the air for so long without an near energon recharging station or a partner to help.

Megatron stood slowly, smudging the energon that bleed from his lip plates and smiled. He stood and went for his sword once again. Now he knew perfectly how to win this.

Megatron tried another approach: he transformed himself into his modified altmode and start shooting the seeker from the sky. He knew this was slow, and left him with limited movement, but that was exactly the idea.

Starscream was appalled when he saw the ugly thing trying to shoot him. Megatron had to know that was useless right? He could dodge all the bullets again and again indefinitely if he wanted. But it was SO boring! The gladiator rarely used his altmode unless he was a bit desperate, and he wasn’t, right? He wanted to fight against the gladiator that made his frame tremble, to see his optics flare! Not that stupid wannabe tank?! This couldn’t be so easy and Starscream couldn’t help to feel anything but insulted by this pathetic show as he dodged again another blast after another.

Then he noticed.

Megatron was far from desperate and far from the brute fool he thought. The gladiator was forcing him to stay in the air and burn faster his energon reservoirs. Tc was right. His damned ego was going to be his end one of this days! He had to start being more careful, but it wasn’t like he was to say that aloud. The match wasn’t over and if this was to come to an end, for Primus he was going to be the last standing.

Starscream's smile grew wider when he finally stood in the ground and walked towards his opponent, talons ready for the atack.

“Okay, old man, want me on the ground? Make it worth it!” Starscream shouted, igniting his thrusters only for impulse one last time.

Megatron transformed in a blink and bared his denta, yelling aloud as he tried to cut the damned glitch only to have his hand and sword trapped against the thick seeker tights and feel the horrible pain of joints being broken when the flyer twisted his frame like he was a ion-crocodile tearing apart the whole thing before he was able to realise what had happened. Megatron fell on his knees, energon flowing from his now missing limb, growling in pain while the seeker keep his distance, ventilating hard and tired. Well… It seemed that the little scraplet was more than just a pretty pair of wings after all. 

“I will.” Megatron growled low.

The real battle began.


	3. [KAON – IN THE PAST, part 3]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really sorry for the delay, a lot happened IRL and I didn't had time to write at all ;A;  
> Now that I finally was able to sit myself and finish this chapters, I see this going and going and I believe this looks more like a slowburn than a PWP LOL! So I'm updating a bit the FIC tags. (I'm starting to think I'm not capable of "serving the smoothies" without telling a brief story LOL! Hopefully you find this enyoable to stick with it? Q7Q!!!)  
> Also I changed my username so that it goes with my Tumblr account, now I'm ServingSmoothies <3  
>  **AND DOBLE UPDATE AS THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE!**  
>  Enjoy!

[K A O N – IN THE PAST]

Starscream received another impact against the ground and he felt all his ventilation system glitch and his audio receptors buzz. 

They’ve been fighting for what seemed hours, and his frame was starting to work slower and slower as he tried to dodge the maze Megatron wield with expertise. 

At this point it didn’t mattered how well he knew his opponent movements, how many times he had watched the matches, no if he couldn’t keep the brutal pace Megatron had established for their match. It should had ended in minutes! And yet even with one limb less, he was unstoppable and managed to scratch one of Starscream’s wings and crush one of his thrusters, making him limp whenever he tried to stand properly or dodge whatever Megatron decided to throw to him. What he couldn’t understand tho… was the look on Megatron’s tired optics whenever he looked at his visor.

Megatron couldn't stop himself of feeling pity for the younger bot, disappointed to see how a new life was thrown away just for the entertainment of others, completely puzzled by the fact that the seeker had done it willingly. 

What was trying to do? Did he wanted to test himself against him? If that was the case, why? There were so many things that young seeker could have been, so many opportunities to be SOMEONE having those enchanting wings and fierce spirit, instead of being thrown there, dirty and wounded like a common pit cyberanimal. Megatron just couldn’t understand why would someone ever thought of throwing themselves into such an horrible place. Only a fool would do that! And he wished he could do something to make him surrender and not be forced to kill him, because he wasn’t giving up only to save this poor creature’s life. He didn’t like entertain others with this primitive slaughter display but he loathed way more the horrible thought of keep living like this night after night.

This night his life, his destiny, was going to be on his servos.

Another kick and punch and the seeker was lying on the ground again. Megatron, battered and heavily damaged, limped towards his opponent lying on the floor and transformed his hand back so he could lift Starscream by the neck cables. _’What a waste’_ he thought bitterly yet decided, with the hope the boy understood this as his final warning and surrendered.

Starscream clawed with all his might the hand trying to snap his head off, as his energon reservoirs were too low and his body temperature too high to risk himself to ignite his thruster again, and one of his legs was too damaged to kick his opponent properly. His injured feet keep dropping energon staining the floor, his mouth behind his mouth plate tasted like energon since many denta were loose and damaged in the battle, and despite all of these, the stubborn little glitch kept his broad wings proud and high. The seeker still had a fierce glow in his optics, spirit not nearly broke. Even if he knew how difficult was to turn the things to is side again, he was going to fight and ignore the pulsing fear inside his unease spark until the end.

How was it possible to have made wrong all the calculations?! He screamed at himself inside his head cursing his bad luck. According to his plan, by this point Megatron shouldn’t have been able to move at all, yet… his armor was thicker and more durable than he expected in a first place and that gave him a further advantage over the lithe and fast flyer’s one. However, was he giving up? No! Definitely NO! Over his cold dead spark! Even if this meant to been brought back to Vos in pieces! There had to be a way! Yet it was becoming a very dire situation with every second it passed, having a hard time trying to process and ventilate, as he could _hear_ the cables snapping and the metal cracking under Megatron’s crushing grip…

“Please, surrender… Stop this nonsense!” Megatron barked low, hoping the younger would understand. It was easy: if the boy gave up, he would keep his life and Megatron could claim his freedom.

Yet Starscream couldn’t answer, feeling too numb, too gone. For a second he believed Megatron would really kill him for good, as his trinemates were held at bay by some guards stopping them from coming to the rescue. 

He knew how difficult was for Skywarp and Thundercracker to hold back their abilities for them not to be discovered. He was aware they were doing this for him, and that it was his fault for them to be in this situation… Yet Starscream wanted to fight and keep going, he really wanted to prove himself worthy of being the next Winglord, of being able to protect all his beloved people… 

Why? Why couldn’t he just win?

What an humiliation, Starscream bitterly thought, limbs falling at his sides weightless as his HUD started showing the errors in his frame and main systems. He won’t ever say it. He won’t give up...

And he kept repeating himself those words until a bright light blinded both and sirens and cries were heard all around and hell rose from all sides.

***  
“ENFORCERERS! RUN!”

Caos.

In a sparkbeat, thousand enforcerers came from all around and started taking action, as the gladiatorial arenas were an illegal practice all around Cybertron. It didn’t mattered whether you were part of the event or just a spectator, the enforcerers captured everyone they suspected to be criminals who had to be prosecuted. Everyone knew they won't freed anyone until proven not guilty, and Megatron was not letting any of those useless hypocrites who claimed the ones to be the hand of “justice” capture him again! And he cursed, freeing Starscream and transforming his hand into a maze again, steadying himself to fight.

Starscream, who had fell into his knees, coughed a mouthful of energon as he tried to focus his optical sensors and equalize his audio receptors again while a bunch of black and blue enforcers encircled both and aimed their weapons to them, ready to fire. He felt too confused by everything, so sudden so puzzling. He looked around and saw like it was slow motion how Megatron was punching and struggling against a pair of enforcerers while somebody was crying and other shouting somewhere far. Blast and transformation sounds surrounding the arena was all he could hear until he felt a hand on his shoulder and a familiar raspy voice urging him to stand.

“Can you stand?! We must get out of here!” Megatron barked while helping him to stand somehow, but moving fast to escape their enemies. “If you can, then FIGHT!”

And Starscream for the very first time in milenia….obeyed. Why? He couldn’t tell, but better to fight than letting the enforcerers --and everyone-- know _who_ he was and all the problems that conveyed. 

Plus, he still hasn’t won and there was nothing he hated more than be interrupted.

In a rush of adrenaline, he stood and ran with Megatron side to side, both limping as they fired against the enforcerers who were on their tail. When they found themselves surrounded by mechs shouting orders either of them cared enough to hear, and without any more words needed, both warriors charged against their enemies and worked hard together not to get caught. Sadly, it seemed the odds were against them. The enforcerers outnumbered them 20 to 1 and it was just a matter of time both wore themselves out and ended pinned against the dirty floor, with blasters in their backs, ready to kill. 

Megatron looked really mad in this situation and struggled hard yet unable to shoot or activate his weapons at all because of the dispositive adhered to his back when they drag him against his will towards to what seemed an aerial transport. Starscream, however, didn’t really needed his weapons to freed himself, he only needed some time and a distraction, since Skywarp and Thundercracker were nowhere to be seen and help him in this crucial moment. _Typical._

Luckily for them, primus seemed to have graced them with his blessing when the arena started shaking and breaking apart when a pair of huge Gestalts appeared from the arena’s galleries and its underground with a deafening sound, distracting the enforcers and other people’s fighting making them focus all their efforts and weapons on the giants crushing everything around, trying to defend their lives as well as complete their mission. 

The chaos just worsened, and that was _perfect_.

Starscream smiled widely under his mask and looked at Megatron, making a sign with his head as the enforcer who drag him looked the enormous green combiner being formed, distracted. 

Fast and precise, Starscream made the same movement that had cost Megatron his arm and with a ‘thunk’ sound, he torned apart the limb that had been hauling him only to jump and lock his shapely thighs together around the helm of the same soldier, twisting his frame like he wasn’t made of metal until the head and the neck cracked and ended facing an horrible unnatural angle. With a ‘thunk’ the presumably dead bot fell on the ground and Starscream looked at Megatron proudly, like saying ‘That could have been you’. 

Megatron was speechless.

Some others enforcerers realised this and, even if they were quite shocked at first, soon they started shooting their blasters and run towards both. However, Starscream now was way more agile than them and swift enough to kick Megatron’s capturer aside with his good leg and take the gladiator with him in the air burning his scarce energon reservoirs in a loud ignition into the sky.

They escaped just in time when one of the gestalts arrived and made the aerial transport they was just been in fall ina pile of shattered pieces of junk.

[ _WARNING: LOW ENERGON LEVELS_ ]

[ _WARNING: THRUSTERS OVERHEAT_ ]

[ _WARNING: LEFT WING HINGE DAMAGED_ ]

[ _WARNING WARNING WARNING_ ]

Why the floor looked so close?


	4. [KAON – IN THE PAST, part 4]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I really enjoyed writing this one xD

[K A O N – IN THE PAST]

“Are you awake?” 

A low voice asked in the room illuminated by a solely orange neon lamp. Starscream felt like scrap and couldn’t really tell what in is frame hurt more. However, he did noticed that the voice coming from his side couldn’t be any other than the gladiator he helped to escape. 

Was he hallucinating? Was this a dream? Because it looked like one of his… not that he complained tho, this looked real enough to make his tank flutter only at the sight of the other.

“Where am I? What happened?” Starscream asked cautiously, while sitting himself. He had been lying in the ground but only then he noticed someone had patched up most of his injuries and had replenished some of his energon. “WAIT! WHO WON?!” He asked turning his face to him, only to complain when something inside made an horrible sound.

He lowered his optics and realised a transfusion cable connecting him and Megatron’s tank! And he could feel how his cheek plates burned blue at the sight. Feeling uneasy and nervous, he disconnected the cable and closed his transfusion port, muttering something none of them really understood. Thanks Primus for the visor and mask idea!

The gladiator was sitting at his side, serious but relieved and quite surprised to see the seeker awake so soon, because the landing had been quite harsh on him, leaving several injuries joining the ones he already had before rushing into the sky. However, Megatron couldn’t criticize his imprudence, really. In such hard situation, sometimes being a bit daring was needed and in the poor state himself was, there were little options left if they wanted to keep functioning.

It still was hard to believe, but the gladiator couldn’t stop himself of feeling relieved of this outcome. If it wasn't for the younger bot, he probably would have been chained and interrogated by the enforcerers by now only to be re-sold again once they were done with him… It wouldn't have been the first time.

A spec of a smile crossed his hard bruised face plates as he faced the puzzled seeker and spoke.

“We’re safe in an old abandoned building… The arena has been emptied and demolished by the enforcerers, or that’s what it seems.” Megatron looked at him and shook his head and retracted the transfusion cable into his frame and closed the panel on his side. “I don’t know what really happened or how they found us, but we managed to escape thanks to you. Not everyone was so lucky.” He vented and answered the last question. “I’m afraid no one of us won, but you almost did, boy.”

Star half smiled, proud and flattered by his words but, as he still wore his mask and visor, his contentment was only shown through his EM field and a small flutter of his wings. ‘Almost won’ was better than ‘lost’ and coming from him? It was one of the best ego boosters he had ever heard, after all, in the Sky Palace the others were too afraid to tell him the true, and he just didn’t believe at all whatever they said. 

Who would? They were being paid for it.

“The designation is Stars--- Starlord, not _‘boy’_.” The seeker almost forgot he was faking his identity for a second, and immediately after he wanted to kill himself. REALLY? _Starlord?!_ What?!!! It was so stupid! He was obviously faking it! 

Starscream kicked at himself inside his processor and felt ashamed but tried his best to hide it well. All his logic and senses seemed to have been lost in the arena or the crash somewhere, because he was feeling… _very distracted_ in the gladiator's presence, in this _small_ closed room where both were sitting _alone_.

Megatron didn’t believe it was his real name but who was him to judge when he had been named something as stupid as ‘The terror of Kaon’? He had heard worse names, to be honest, even fake ones, and if the young wanted to keep his name and identity hidden, it was up to himself and he was to respect him.

“I’m Megatron, but I suspect you already knew that.” 

“You are stronger than I expected, more durable too, even for someone of your age.” Starscream answered sitting properly, looking at him from head to toes. He noticed Megatron had patched his injuries too.

“That’s supposed to be a compliment?” Megatron grinned, lifting one of his knees and leaving an elbow rest there.

“You should have used your maze from the beginning it has a wider range, and changed to your altmode if you wanted to make me burn my energon faster, and thought you waited until I injured you, wasting valuable time." He chuckled "I know it was you _first time_ with a flyer, but I expected more from you. By the way, why aren’t you mad for your arm?” Starscream kept talking, like the fanmech he was, despite the fact he was the one who crawled inside the arena to beat him up first and almost ended deactivated by his silly fancy. 

“And now you are insulting me.” Megatron kept a eye on him, observing how Starscream talked and moved his arms, so sure of himself. 

This boy was definitely very observant and smart, the way he behaved and he talked properly showed he was quite cult and educated, something not everyone were so lucky to be in places like Kaon or Tarn. When he dragged him to the room, he also got a closer look at his delicate but sharp polished claws and smooth finish, clear signals that he had never made any brute work in his life, and this fight had been something completely different from what he used to do, only adding more questions to the long list of uncertainties.

To his disappointment, tho, the sad truth behind his careless fighting was way more simple than the answer the seeker craved to know. To be honest, at the beginning he just couldn’t think in anything but the goal to obtain his freedom and even during the fight he tried his best to keep thinking in winning. However, sincerely… how could he focus in beating him enough when those beautiful wings and powerful tights distracted him whenever Starscream kicked or flyed? It wasn’t just that he wouldn't wanted to kill him, he was almost sure he couldn’t have done it even if he wanted. Or so he believed now.

“What do you want, boy?” The gladiator said more seriously and notably tired. “You’re certainly from another world, a world some of us would never been able to witness only for being born in the wrong place, with a the wrong alt-form. What do you want here? This is funny to you? Why were you in the arena when you are obviously a High Caste mech? Did you want to prove something?”

Starscream remained silent as he processed all the questions. There was obviously something hostile against the “high caste” in his speech but he couldn't deny anything, after all, it was just a fancy of him indeed.

“Those are a lot of questions... Megatron" he answered with a soft voice. "But if you have to know, yes, I wanted to prove myself in a place where no one know who I was, where no one could lie to me." He stood and walked towards an half broken furniture were he half sat with his arms crossed. "However, it isn't something I did to make fun of you. I chose to fight against you because you are the best fighter in Cybertron and I thought that if I beat you…"

"You could show off others your strength?" Megatron said, completing the other's phrase, and stood in front of him.

"No!...Yes? It isn't so easy…"

"It is. In the arena it is. There are two warriors, one dies one lives, that's all. Why would you choose that place of all to choose what are you made of? You should be doing something better of yourself, instead of trying to be something you are not." Megatron spit disappointed, before he could stop himself.

"How dare you to speak to me like that?!" Starscream answered with a pair of proud wings hitting high and a thruster stomp. "You don't know me! And yet you dare speak to me like you do what's best for me?! I should have known you were no different to all the others who believe they can command my life as they please…"He shaked his head side to side. "Stupid of me to think you were different…"

Megatron looked at him quite surprised by the tone of the answer he got, watching how the seeker lowered his head and turned his back to him, while Starscream felt his spark hurt.

Everywhere, everything, people told him what he should be doing o should be, from the day he was forged. To see that even here he was believed to be no more than his frame was, to say at least, sparkbreaking.

"Sorry then, but welcome to the reality, kid. Because this is no joke for us, different to what you may think living in a frivolous and fancy life." Megatron lied his back on the wall and lowered his optics.

"You don't know what are you talking about, grounder…" Starscream walked towards him again, graceful yet menacing, and poke with his shapely clawed finger Megatron’s chest. "This is how you thanks the bot who saved your sorry aft for being arrested? Of being killed?! What a gentleman…!" he growled disappointed. "I can't believe I thought higher of you."

He couldn't believe this was the bot his knees trembled for? Yes, he was hot, and his frame was just his type but so far he was not being anything better than the elders afts he had to endure all days in the Sky Palace. 

Why did his spark choose someone stubborn like this obviously brute to get attached to?! 

"You thought higher of me?" The gladiator snorted. "I am grateful for your assistance but there was no need of risking yourself out there in the arena in a first place. I didn't told you togo there and fight me or save me when everything went to pit! I could have managed on my own." He defended himself pointing at him, closing the distance towering over the seeker -even though he thought otherwise.-

"Yes, sure, you clearly _could_ " Starscream answered, sarcastic, tired of this whole fiasco asn he held his wings proudly high, unaffected by megatron's pointless atempts of intimidation. "Provably you would have been crushed by the gestalts or killed by the Enforcerer's blasters but okay! Okay, whatever! I don't care!” and tried to walk out of there wavering a dismissing hand in the air.

"Ugh! Are _you_ always like this?” Megatron grabbed the Seeker's waving hand hard, having enough of his childish behavior, making him face him again.

This guy, he thought, is impossible!

“Are **you** always like this?!" Growled Starscream trying to free his hand with the other, stomping his thruster in the ground.

This guy, he thought, was unbearable!

Well, at least, both agreed.


	5. [KAON – IN THE PAST, Final]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic has become more extensive than I originally had planned because plot bunnies keep jumping and I'm weak xD  
> Sorry for delaying the _smoothies_ , I don't know how I jumped from a PWP to a slow burn that is melting me as I write aaaaa!!!  
> Also this is the end of the first part that happens in KAON and coming next I'll start with the second part VOS, that's why chapters are still unknown ;D!
> 
> Thanks so much for keep reading!!!
> 
> **PD: I've updated the tags!**

Megatron bumped the wall.

Starscream had looked at him at the optics and walked towards him fearlessly, making the gladiator walk backward. The gladiator could have sworn the presence of this bold ‘youngling’ was quite big for someone of his size.

“From where I come you would have been executed only for looking at me… But there is nothing pretty about being the prize everyone desires and being caged to that role from the day I was forged. Why I came here, you brute, the reason I risked my brothers and myself to be here because I admired you, because, despite the difficult situation you were in, you always came out victorious with the strength of your own servos… And I wanted to prove myself I could do that too, to prove that I’m worthy for who I am and that I don’t need anyone to my side to protect the ones I care...” The seeker spoke clear, unafraid and deadly serious, even tho he was still trapped in Megatron’s servo. “Probably I’m selfish for doing this but I don’t want to _ONLY _follow the sorry path they’ve planned for me, and I thought you of all people could understand how I felt.”__

__Megatron looked at him and listened to his words, observing the body language Starscream showed and couldn’t find any lie on any of them._ _

__Yes. He could relate perfectly._ _

__Perhaps it wasn’t the same, but somehow the injustice of just being forced to do what they expected from you only to be born in certain circumstances didn’t change much. Society seemed the same despite the class, despite the place and frame. The boy in front of him was as caged and fragged as him. The the chains that bind could had been from different material, but chains at the end._ _

__Megatron vented slowly and let him go._ _

__“My apologies.” The gladiator finally said after a while of silence. His voice was calmer, deeper. “You’re right, I don’t know you, I only assumed what…”_ _

__“What you were told.” Starscream completed, touching his freed wrist, a bit dented._ _

__Starscream looked at him behind the visor concealing his feelings, but Megatron could felt anger and frustration in his voice._ _

__“Yes.” The gladiator recognized, what else could he say?_ _

__“It’s okay… I don’t blame you.” The seeker lowered his wings, melancholy on his voice. “I know Vos is only known for its architecture, palaces, parties, and we, seekers, for caring about nothing but ourselves.” He chuckled for a second. “And tho there are idiots with air in their processors that actually live like that and _only_ like that, believe me, the reality is quite different. We’re like any other functional city.” He looked at him and crossed his arms. “Prettier than the average, perhaps.”_ _

__“I’m glad you didn’t come only for entertaining to the arena, then.” Megatron answered with a half-smile in his marred faceplates._ _

__Starscream’s wings lift a little when he saw his soft smile and turned around, trying to hide his own expressions now that the tension had faded out. Megatron was quite charming when smiling like that._ _

__“And if it helps… You are for real a good fighter. I’ve never seen that technique with the legs before. I still trying to figure out how in the pits you managed to tear my arm out.” Megatron raised a brow ridge as he pointed out his injury. “And kill the enforcer with them. It was impressive.”_ _

__The seeker smiled behind his mask, lifting his wings proudly. Megatron could guess he was happy to hear a compliment on his technique. The flier was becoming easier to read as both spent time together._ _

__“Not that difficult when you perform it right, the torsion is what does the trick, to be honest.” He answered nonchalantly, looking at his claws._ _

__“Not that all mech can move that way, tho, not all of us are so flexible.” He couldn’t help to look at his legs now that the other had his back facing him._ _

__“Seekers are a lucky kind then, or is just me that I’m too good at it.” Starscream didn’t want to sound flirtatious but couldn’t help it when he gave a look over his shoulder and saw Megatron rising his optics quickly to meet his visor. He had been obviously admiring something different, somewhere… lower._ _

__Starscream felt his tank tight inside, nervous, and turned around with a swift movement to face him again._ _

__Megatron looked more relaxed now, like scrap, yes, but way more comfortable. Without his brow ridges frown, he looked a lot younger. And Star noticed how much he really liked him, the only problem was his damned mouth he didn’t know when to shut up, it seemed, and his old and widely known prejudices about seekers. The difference was that he actually recognized his mistake and apologized. Starscream had never witnessed that like… ever. Perhaps he was really different? Actually able to hear another mech, asses the facts and form his own opinions? Because, let’s be real, for a race able to _Transform_ , its behavior and pride were far beyond any transformation by then._ _

__“We should start moving, my team must be looking for us and they won’t find us in this place. We have to find a way to contact them and get out of here.” Megatron said looking around the collapsed room._ _

__“And how do you plan to do that? Were trapped as far as I can see.” Starscream answered, shrugging._ _

__“We are not, I can move that big debris there and we can get out easily, the problem is that my coms are dead and I can’t contact my team nor transform correctly after you ripped off my arm.”_ _

__“Yeah, that won’t be a good idea, your arms are part of your threads in your altmode, aren’t they? If you transform you could mess up more energon lines and I don’t want to drag your aft all the way out, you know, again.” Megatron made a sarcastic laugh as Starscream got closer and inspected his wound. It was more serious than it appeared to be, the gladiator was well versed in medicine if he had managed to stop the bleeding and patch everything all by himself. “I could try to fix your comms if you want. Trying to reach higher ground is not very wise if the enforcerers are still trying to find us. And not to be ungrateful but I can’t fly with my wing in this state, and trying to contact my trine is impossible for the time being. My comm signal is too weak under all this debris.” He sighed. “Where are we exactly?”_ _

__“It’s called ‘camouflage’ And it helps to keep us hidden.” Megatron corrected. “We’re in the depths of an old energon refinery.”_ _

__“Wonderful…”Starscream spat sarcastically. No wonder why his comms were dead. In Vos they didn’t need a strong signal, as all of them lived together and in the air there was nothing to block it. Now he made a mental note to update his comms range once he was free. “Let me help you with your comm then. We don’t have many options left.”_ _

__“I’ll call my teammates. They can fix your wing and your thrusters.” Megatron looked his legs, dented and injured. One of his thrusters half blown up. “I promise you’ll fly in no time and return home.”_ _

__“I hope so…I hate to be grounded...” He said as both sat silently together in a corner._ _

__Megatron removed his helm and let Starscream work on the side of his head to see what was wrong with the damned system, but as much as he tried to keep his mind blank and not set on his partner closeness, it was difficult when warmth irradiating from Starscream’s lithe frame warmed his exposed wiring where his arm should have been. The seeker despite the fight and the harsh landing still smelled like expensive polish and oils and Megatron found himself smiling softly when noticing he had started to feel nervous with his soft touches, careful claws picking and thorough in their work. How much time had past since the last time someone had touched him like that? With the intention to care and not to harm?_ _

__Starscream noticed the expression the other wanted to hide and his spark melted a bit more, pulsing inside his chest. As he had explored Megatron’s head hardware, he could see the old marks of hits and injuries he had suffered in the past. However, what surprised him was that most of these had been closed years back before being a gladiator at all and he had to admit… he didn’t know how it was possible to have survived most of them._ _

__“How it was?” He asked before he could stop to think what he was doing as he caressed one particular scar in one of Megatron’s head plates. “ To live in the mines?”_ _

__“What?” Megatron’s smile fell away and he turned his head to see Starscrema’s visor once again._ _

__“To be honest… as much as I wanted to prove myself as I’ve told you, I also wanted to see the world I was told in the stories, you know, about Cybertron.” Starscream lowered his head and posed his clenched hands over his lap. “I wanted to see by myself how wonderful it was, the cristal flowers, the big cities, the galleries, and the marvelous buildings… I haven’t seen anything like that here… Ann now that I see your scars and knowing where you had lived… I can guess Tarn and Kaon are not like those stories, am I right?”_ _

__“Kaon is not the most beautiful places on Cybertron, I’m afraid.” Megatron touched the side of his head and then proceeded to put his helm on once again. “And the mines are a harsh place to be raised… Normally, someone like you wouldn’t have to even know about them at all. Cybertronians only know there are plenty of energon cubes to be bought in the stores and that’s it. Why should they care about anything like extraction and refining? have you ever wondered about it? What had they told you about where energon comes from?”_ _

__“Lies, provably.” Starscream lowered his wings concerned. He was an educated mech and yet he couldn't help feling like a fool. Megstron was right, normally no one would ask more about the topic as long as they had energon in their table. “Factories that export them to every city, nothing about the process whatsoever.”_ _

__“That’s because our lives worth so little that only when I became what I am now is that I won a name to be remembered, boy. I fought for my freedom every night because fighting at least gave me a purpose. In the mines every day was the same. There were no enough safety measures, no enough food, no health care, it was only you, and the constant sound of machinery working until exhaustion claimed your spark...”_ _

__“I’m… I’m sorry for having asked.” Starscream looked at how Megatron’s expression grimed at the sad memories and his spark clenched. He was an idiot for comparing his life with his before._ _

__“Don’t be, it’s not your fault. You only knew what you were told, kid.” Megatron raised Starscream’s chin for a second and chuckled. Starscream blushed behind the mask since those were the very same words he had used with him before. “We’re even now, don’t you think?”_ _

__“Life sucks.” Was the most eloquent thing the seeker could think at that moment. Megatron genuinely laughed at it and Starscream nervously did the same._ _

__“It’s certainly difficult for some of us.” The gladiator looked at him with conviction as he continued. “But we can change it. We always have a chance to be something different, it doesn’t matter what the system tries to say because it’s broken, rotten, and I’ll change it whatever it takes. Even if it takes me a million victories more.”_ _

__His voice and the decision in it moved something inside Starscream didn’t know and he grew fond of those optics, of that voice, of the conviction flaring inside the gladiator that was beyond any phisical attraction he had felt before, making the seeker believe in him somehow and in that promise that would change his world in a future he hadn’t expected to be any different of what the people in the palace had planed...until then._ _

__“Nine hundred ninety-nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine.” Starscream sat up and extended his servo to help him up. “You didn’t defeat me yet.”_ _

__Megatron raised a brow ridge when he was corrected and turned his optics to the side were Starscream had stood, only to be strike by a big smirk in the most gorgeous face he had ever seen in his life as the seeker finally had removed the visor and the damned faceplate that protected him al along._ _

__Megatron smirked back as he took the offered hand and raised into his feet, giving the boy a firm handshake, in an understanding that was beyond words knowing this was just the beginning._ _

__“I’m Starscream of Vos, better for you to remember that”_ _

__Little bastard he was._ _

__He liked him._ _

__

__\---_ _

___[Megatron? Sir We got your coordinates, the Constructicons are on their way.]_ _ _

___[Come then, Soundwave, I have a revolution to lead.]_ _ _


	6. [V O S – IN THE PAST, part 1]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A war has started and Vos has to decide which side they will join...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The new arch is UP! And I uploaded this again because I had a moment of divine illumination(?) and fixed the end of this chapter so the next one has more sense.  
> This time we will see what happened to Starscream and his seekers before joining the Decepticons.
> 
> \--TAGS UPDATED!--

Starscream stretched himself between the soft fabrics that covered him that morning, safely guarded in the Sky Palace... as the war raged on in the ground.  
  
He sighed, removed himself from the recharging tab and walked slowly until he was in front of his golden mirror, still lost in his memories, remembering the time he had been able to be free and know the reality of the ones who lived in the ground.

Yes, it hadn't been the night of his dreams, despite the fact he had meet the gladiator he had always admired and the unforgettable fight they had been through later, but he had learned more about the world in one night than in his whole life. So much injustice… so much frustration and so little opportunities… And mechs like Megatron, incredible capable tho forced to work first in a mine and then fight for his life until deactivation? A rebellion was to be expected sooner or later.

Starscream shook his head and walked towards the bathroom.

That night both had talked a lot before Megatron’s comrades found and helped them to get to a safe location from where he was able to send a message to his trinemates who teleported immediately and took him back home without being able to say goodbye. He had to admit he regretted it but perhaps it was for the better, after all, they lived in whole different realities and would never meet again, did they?

And tho now he saw him everywhere…

Megatron had started a civil war against the senate, determined to fight for the ones without a voice, for the ones submitted by a corrupted system, rusted from the very core…

A cry for freedom…

How he would have loved to have his strength and his determination to keep fighting for so little hope, Starscream thought, looking through the window, watching the smoke and the explosions far away, in the ground. He hadn’t even been able to fight his arranged conjux ceremony with another mech, how was he supposed to fight for something bigger?

Vos had been lucky as they floated way up Cybertron’s surface and only flyers were allowed to reside within his beautiful yet powerful fortress walls. War hadn’t reached their borders yet and most citizens tired to keep living their lives like there wasn’t a war raging on in the ground, yet warily aware that Vos’ survival depended on the political arrangements they could manage to do, after all, Autobots and Decepticons were desperate for have aerial control, and yet it was Vos who still governed the skies. It was just a matter of time Vos was forced into taking sides or be _taken down._

Starscream sighed and got into the oil bath, lowering himself until his head was just above the surface.

If only people listened to him perhaps he could have done something… choose a path by himself... He wished he had what it took to win a million victories.

“Still in the bath, you sleazy wing?” A red plated seeker stood blocking the light, a smirk in his face.

“What are you doing here, Redwing?” Starscream raised himself and took a cloth to dry his plates. If his annoying little brother was there, it meant only one thing... Sire’s calling.

“Sire wants you to be ready. The guest had already arrived and the Priests is here too. Why are you not ready yet? Do you want to Conjux in that disheveled state? Wonderful.”

“Shut up. I’ll be ready, there’s still time, why don’t you put your servos in better use and help me if you are so interested in my appearance?” Starscream spat venomously walking into his room again and sitting on a beautiful red sofa. In front of him, it was a table with jewels, essential oils, and polishes of all kinds. All of them equally expensive especially prepared for the occasion.

“Not my job. I’ll tell TC and Warp to help you, _your majesty._ Now hurry up, and be grateful it wasn’t Sire who came for you.” He walked away but stopped just before leaving. “And use the white cape and golden and red jewelry, Sire wants you to look pristine as you were Primus’ disciple. Do not use any strong colors, tho. And absolutely nothing purple.” he left.

“...” Starscream wanted to reply, but what would he say?

Not even his little brother cared about what he had to say. Starscream had to do as told always and how much he hated to see this going on an on… being treated as an exchange object instead of a sentient being with his own opinions and wishes. The only thing that mattered was the Winglord’s orders and he was just the older prince, nothing but a pawn in his sire’s hand, and as he looked at the decorations he had to wear and saw himself being carried in a path that went nowhere, he found himself unable to do any movement further.

He was just changing one jailer for another.

“Star, I’m sorry I didn’t come before, Warp and I were trying to make time,” Thundercracker said entering the room slowly. He was polished and covered in beautiful silver clips and small chains that ran over his wings and chest. “Redwing said you needed help…”

“I don’t need help. I need a miracle.” He answered standing again and walking towards the balcony. “Megatron was right about us...”

“Why are you saying that? And, Starscream, please do not even mention him in front of Sentinel…” He went with Starscream and looked at his optics, caressing the tip of his wing. “We don’t have many options left… This is for Vos survival...”

“I know.”

“Then?”

“Sentinel doesn’t care.”

“Starscream, if he didn’t care he wouldn’t have come here…”

“He came looking for an army, Thundercracker! Don’t you see it? He wants an army, _our army,_ not little good seekers to attend him.” Starscream lowered his wings and brought one hand to his face. He shouldn’t be saying anything of this aloud, but it was too late. “If I conjux him he’ll have Vos army and once he ran out of them? what happens? He, as conjux of the Winglord heir will have the power to oblige any citizen to go and fight and DIE for HIM. We are pawns, for sire, for him… I don’t want that life anymore. I want Vos to be fine on his own, not…. THIS! We will not be better than slaves! And believe me, most of those fliers outside know nothing of the life that is waiting for us down there!”

“And you do?” Thundercracker looked at him seriously and made a pause. “Nobody does, Starscream, but what can we do? What can you do to change this? Do you think you can stop the war? Change history?”

“He did.” Starscream looked through the window, lights already shining for the ceremony to start. “Megatron did…”

“And brought war and misery to us all! Wake up!” Thunder raised his voice. “Listen to yourself, Starscream! This time you won’t be able to sneak around this... Please,” He begged. “be sensible… If you don’t want to do it for Vos, at least do it for us, Warp, Redwing, Slipstream, Nova… Myself… We always have supported you and had your back in the past and believe me when I say we will continue doing the same in the future, but there is no future if we continue like this… Vos can´t defeat both armies itself.”

He was aware his numbers were low, Sentinel’s army surpassed them 100 to 1… Megatron’s? Only primus knew, and that was without taking into account the renegades and mercenaries who fought by themselves.

“Is not fair, Tc...” 

“I know… I’m so sorry…” He looked down, sadness consuming his spark. “But we have to weigh our options, how grim these might be...”

Starscream looked at him and smiled defeated, sinking himself in the ground. His wings trembled angry and frustrated, watching how the doors were shut down one by one until there was only one path for him to go. In the end, he was doing exactly the opposite he told Megatron he wanted to do… He would have been disappointed. Who was he trying to fool? He wasn’t so strong, he didn’t have that charisma or reputation, he had nothing but a pretty face and wings to…

And that was it.

Perhaps he didn’t have anything but his appearance -in other’s opinions- but he could use that too if he wanted, right? Megatron himself had looked at him that day and perhaps he could use these assets to manipulate Sentinel and convince him of doing what _HE_ wanted instead? It was brilliant. How hadn’t he think about it before? Sentinel was too strong and killing him would be unwise in a situation where everything was volatile, manipulating him tho? That was more realistic, more like a _plan_. 

“Okay. I’ll do it.” He said, almost whispering. He buried all his feelings but determination.

“You...will?” Thunder was kneeling to his side, caressing Starscream’s wings, concerned. “You sure? Please don’t think of doing something stupid, this is serious business.”

“I know.” He took an in-vent and steeled himself. “You’re right. I have to think of Vos and weigh the options I have right now.” 

Starscream stood and walked towards the glowing jewels caressing one by one the precious gems incrusted there. Over his shoulder, he smiled. 

“Go with Sire and tell him I’m ready.”

\---

The night had fallen and Starscream had dressed like he was told, wearing the most expensive and delicate jewels he owned, jingling with every step he did and had also polished himself carefully. He had painted his frame with golden paint the sacred glyphs for those who were to be conjuxed and looked himself in the mirror before going outside where his trine was waiting for him, walking decided to take life in his own terms.

His brothers looked at him surprised to see him again and dressed for the occasion, relieved that his inner fire was still there despite everything. 

“We got you.” Said Skywarp, smiling softly for him. 

“Thank you…” Said Thundercracker as he placed Starscreams crown on his helm.

Starscream smiled for them and embraced each in response, sharing thought their bond his conflicted emotions but a spark of hope and determination. 

Step by step, Starscream went down the magnificent semi-spiral stairs and walked one last time the golden doors that led to the principal royal garden which ran between the Palace and the Sky Temple. He had played there so much with his brothers when younglings that it was surreal to walk through the delicate crystals formations, flowers, and glowing trees dressed for a conjux ceremony he didn’t even want… 

_Without knowing that a beauty like this was never to be seen again..._

Starscream didn’t want to accept it but his spark clenched, afraid. Instead of joy and love, he could only feel anger and sorrow as each step lead him to the bastard he had to join. Had he really the strength to d what he had decided? To play along with al this farse?

It hurt. 

But this was his world now… right? He had taken the decision to continue the show. He had to face it now. For his brothers, bor his sisters, for Vos.

A shiver ran across his plating. The wind breath and his cape and fabrics flew giving him an ethereal looking as well as Thundercracker and Skywarp, who accompanied him just some steps behind looking just as beautiful scorting his trinemate with Vos flag in servo. 

_For them._

Nobles from all Vos had been invited dressing their best to show Sentinel’s Vos power and wealth, to make him clear that this union had been possible because of their benevolence and not because they were desperate. His brothers and sisters were there too, standing each side the path, well-groomed and covered in gold, silver, and painted glyphs representing different wishes for the future conjux in beautiful geodes:

_Prosperity, wealth, loyalty, long lives… happiness._

What a fucking joke in a ceremony like this.

Sentinel’s mech, on the other hand, looked nothing special, the big square fools, and Starscream realized that not even the Prime himself seemed to have cared enough but to show off his power trough a number of canons, weapons, and the big armor that protected him. Something in him made the seeker felt uneasy at the sight. All his mechs were like this.

Starscream only noticed he had stopped walking in the middle of the way when Skywarp’s servo had pushed him a little to encourage him to continue. 

Starscream lowered his optics again, only gazing what he had around of him, reaching the circle where only the pairing conjuxed should stand. Thirteen giant obelisks surrounded them and the light of Cybertron’s two moons bright over their heads. Starscream looked at Sentinel’s unreadable expression hide behind his mask until he stood at his side and bowed ceremoniously. 

The feeling didn’t go away.

_There was something wrong._

The ceremony started and the Priest recited a long-lived love poem that was only to be told on these occasions, the tale of lovers that fought against the wildest winds to go somewhere they love could flourish. The tale of Vos’ original trine… Starscream bit his cheek internally trying to remain calm and composed and not to scream what a ton of scrap all of this was, and tried to keep his field as close to his body as he could, while Sentinel looked at the Priest with deadly cold optics.

Then, the Winglord walked towards them and extended his arms, giving the new conjux his blessings and wishing them prosperity against adversity, while Skywarp and Thundercracker covered Starscream and Sentinel with golden robes and the Winglord took and joined their hands and covered it with a gold chain that meant their destiny was to be shared forever. Starscream’s hand trembled and looked at his Sire with resentment, but the Winglord ignored him and brought the datapad where both parties agreed to this.

“By the authority given to me by Primus and the Thirteen, and the blessings of the Skies, I shall declare you Conjux from today on. Please give the other your blessings and then press your servos here so the contract is sealed.”

Starscream lowered his optics and head trying to hide his true feelings and extended his wrist to sign with his personal signature the damned document. All people knew this was the better for them… He was only the exchange needed. 

“Today, I, Starscream of Vos, first prince and heir of the Winglord I agree to share with you my life and wings until the day we all are one.”

Simple words, there was nothing else to be said. The Winglord glared at him because those were not the votes he had written for him to say, the unruly child.

Sentinel then extended his massive servo and also signed the agreement, but words way more inappropriate for a conjux ceremony...

“On this day, I Sentinel Prime of Iacon, agree to this union by taking you as mine, sharing whatever the future maybe…” And looked at Starscream for the first time, optics intense and deadly... “ _and may the sky bless your wings till the day we all are one_.”

Words for a funeral.

\---

_The Winglord fell in front of them with a hole on his chest._

\---

“Get in!” Sentinel threw Starscream inside a big transport where all his brothers were packed together wearing stasis cuffs. 

It had been a _trap_. 

Sentinel as soon as he had the document sealed, had killed the Winglord and the nobles in the ceremony and captured all the heirs present, including Starscream himself. None of them were prepared for battle and the low amount of security guards inside the Palace were overpowered easily by Sentinel’s mech, who took control of the palace in no time. They had thought too many guards may be misinterpreted… What a stupid reason.

Starscream looked around and saw his brothers confused, all of them agitated and stressed by this sudden change of circumstances, wings shifting uneasily. Sentinel had stripped each of them from their jewels and clothes and took all the wealth they could find in the palace and shoved it in another transport’s room. Starscream’s plans had been proved useless. Sentinel didn’t even care about him or anyone but the war and their elite army, the advantage this meant for his forces. He was willing to do anything to get it...

_Even if that meant to kill the Winglord himself._

“I’ll tell you this again, Starscream,” Sentinel growled, grabbing Thundercracker by one wing and threaten him with his blaster. Starscream showed him his teeth and lowered his wings menacingly. His siblings did the same, like some feral cyber animals, trying to protect each other uselessly. “Tell the army to attack the coordinates I’ve given to you and your brothers will continue functioning. I’ve been clear?” 

“Leave him alone! You’ll NEVER have my army! This is TREASON! You must be EXECUTED!” Starscream yelled aloud, but the blaster ignited and shoot Tc’s leg before any of them could react. 

All the seekers there stiffened, frozen by his brother’s cry. Sentinel wasn’t joking, and Starscream just couldn’t ignore the suffering and pain shared through his bond. Immediately he had thrown himself over TC to protect him along Skywarp, survival instinct moving their stiffened frames. His spark pulsed haphazardly thinking again and again how powerless he was… What had he been thinking? Sentinel wouldn’t care about him more than another tool in his arsenal. His chances had changed again and they were near zero. He had been a fool for thinking otherwise… He wasn’t even able to protect his _brother_ from being shoot and he thought he could do something for the whole _Vos_?

“Let’s try this again.” Sentinel raised his blaster and he aimed to Skywarp’s helm. “I tried to convince your generals to give the order, but they didn’t listen to… what did they say? Oh, right… _Groundpounders_. So, as you are the new Winglord, you have the power to force them to do whatever you want and therefore… You will tell them to do as told. Right?”

The black and purple seeker could feel the heat against the back of his head. With the stasis cuffs he couldn’t use his power, none of them could use his outliers habilities… They were completely at the mercy of this bastard.

“Starscream?” Skywarp looked at him, hugging Tc against his cockpit feeling helpless…

“My patience is wearing thin, Starscream…” Threatened Sentinel.

“STOP! stop, please! I’ll do it, I’ll do it…” Star raised his hands and took Sentinel blaster, lowering it. Defeated, his wings hang low, trembling in a mixture of fear and anger. “I’ll call them…”

“Good. Come.”

The Prime took him by a wing, knowing well how delicate the equipment was, and brought him to a dark room with a big communications console. The Prime grabbed the seeker’s face and made him look at his optics, showing off how strong he was.

“Call General Thrust and his trine and tell them I’m in charge of the military now.” He said low, towering over Starscream. “Tell him you’ve given me the power to call war and that the airforce must be ready to attack _today_ the coordinates I’ll give to them.”

Starscream groaned and tried to steel himself, knowing well what would happen if he didn’t comply. His servos trembled in frustration, and he almost fell into the ground when Sentinel freed him and pushed him over the console. He clenched his denta and hailed Thrust’s channel, pleading he didn’t answer and gave him a bit more time.

He had to think about something. Make a plan or whatever! _Do something!_

 _“And if it helps… You are for real a good fighter…”_ Megatron Words resonated in his processor one more time. 

Yes. He was right. He was smart, he was a good fighter… He had proved himself been more capable than whatever the palace and the council had thought he was in the arena and perhaps he could outsmart Sentinel in his own little game if he wanted. That’s was the little nudge he needed for his processor to start running like that night: assessing the situation, making schemes… They needed him to be a fighter, a leader. His sire wasn’t there to protect them anymore… It was his duty to take these responsibilities and move forward, guaranteeing his siblings and citizens the safety and stability Vos had always been known for.

The only thing he needed to do was to make himself as essential as possible.

They answered the call. 

“Generals Thrust, Dirge, Ramjet." He said seriously, yet elegant and fierce. "With great sadness, it is my duty to inform our dear Winglord had passed away today in circumstances yet to be disclosed...” His wings twitched, informing it was murder and it was the mech behind him who had committed such an atrocious crime. The trine stood firmly, trying to hide his fury and nodded without a word. “And is for that reason that from today on I will be taking the title as such and declare officially that Vos is entering the war under my command as your Air commander.” 

Starscream said decidedly, standing proud, wings decided and held high. 

Sentinel glared at him, furious. This wasn’t part of the plan. This wasn’t what he had ordered him to do!

“You will obey me and report to me as such, fighting with honor and bravery for victory! So ready our airforce to deploy at any moment. Do not disappoint my expectations, and may the wind guide our path.” 

“As you command, Lord Starscream.” Thrust answered saluted.

Starscream smirked and looked at Sentinel, defiant.

He wasn’t the fool everyone thought he was and from that day, his airforce was to be commanded by him. If Sentinel wanted to force him to be part of this war and all the nonsense he had created, it would be on his very own terms.

The prime looked at him murderously but knowing the little smug bastard was right. Now he couldn’t just kill him off and take the airforce without making everyone turn against him and oblige his mech to confront two armies… This wasn’t what had planned but it didn’t matter, he would make it work somehow. He still had Stasrcream’s siblings to make him cooperate, despite this mishap. 

Perhaps the stupid bird only needed a bit of motivation and Sentinel was sure to make himself _very_ clear next time.

And he knew perfectly how to do so.


End file.
